Proper tow truck towing

[Muzz B Yellow]

My Viper needs a tow to the dealer on monday and I can't find a tow truck company that knows the proper way of hooking the car up What exactly is the procedure for getting it on the flatbed and then securing it.

Thanks

 

[Steve-Indy]

"R" hooks in the oval holes in the frame...standard for Dodge, Chrysler products.

Mant flatbeds around here have a second set of these "R" hooks spliced onto a second short cable just to pull these type vehicles up the ramp (works well if done carefully...noting that one occasionally needs a couple of boards to help wheels at the transition to the ramp to help the nose clear). Use same hooks for rear, though once Viper on flatbed, easy to tie rear down with more conventional means (hooks and /or straps).

By the way, and for future reference, I carry 4 "R" hooks in each Viper for this very situation.

 

[Muzz B Yellow]

What is a "R" hook and where are the oval holes in the frame? The first and only driver to hook up the Viper threw a big ole hook around the A arm.... told him no way he was doing that so he picked up his stuff and left... red neck!

 

[Steve-Indy]

FROM a recent thread:

http://vca2.viperclub.org/forums/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=UBB21&Number=533473&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&vc=1

Some of the responses:

On four locations on the frame, accessible via the wheel wells, there are slots cut into the frame, each about 0.75" wide and 1.75" long. Each slot is aligned or oriented in the direction of the straps that you will hook up (i.e., a slot is not vertical or horizontal, but rather at an angle of about 40 degrees). You'll feed "R-hooks" (see link below) into these slots so that only the loop is protruding from the frame, which is where you hook the tie-down strap.

http://www.awdirect.com/awdirect/catalog.cfm?dest=itempg&itemid=8978&secid=89&linkon=subsection&linkid=395


Here's all the tow hooks available to professionals.
http://www.awdirect.com/awdirect/catalog.cfm?dest=dir&linkid=110&linkon=subsection
The S hook appears to be just a rounded hook - NOT like the R hook that is specificaly designed to fit inside the reinforced frame holes on all Viper frames. the R hook spreads the load / pressure from the tie dows strap over a larger area - even using some outward pressure. The R hook is the proper hook. We've towed too many Vipers to count, as has Gary Almond, ove rthousands of miles and never seen frame damage when using this hook.


Usually frame damage occurs when you put the tie down hook directly into the frame hole and crank away.

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Janni Cone
Carolinas Region Member




Quote:
Dan
My dumb question for the day where are the oblong slots located. I looked from the front and rear can't locate them. If they are accessed from the whell well areas is it from the under side of the car?
THX
Bill


Bill, you don’t have to crawl under the car to see the slots, but you do have to lay down on the ground beside the car and look in toward to the center of the car from behind the rear wheel or from in front of the front wheel. The slots are cut into the frame rails as Viper X points out. When I reach under the car via the wheel well to affix the R-hooks in the front, my arm is fully extended and I’m under the car up to my shoulder, if that helps. The rear slots are a little easier to reach for some reason, probably because there is a bit more ground clearance in the rear. If you still can’t find the slots, post as much and I’ll take a picture or two this weekend.

Janni, thanks for the experienced feedback!